This year I have new growth coming from the ground, but nothing is happening on the old wood (where it usually grows on this plant). Can I prune away all the old wood at this time of year without harming the plant? Or should I wait until the fall?

Thank you, Diana_K. I don't know much about the plant, but I'll say it is not grafted. It came from a really old rose bush next to my mother-in-law's house. The parent plant is probably 30 years old or so. I did prune away the old wood, so fingers crossed.

Oh, does it seem strange that there is a section of the plant coming from the ground about 5 inches away from the main plant? It's like an extra little rose bush. I'm wondering if a piece of the root sent it up after the plant was moved.

If you cut a Rose Bush shorter than 6 inches from the ground, it might make new 'shoots' from the ground.
Don't think I would cut a Rose Bush or Rose Plant shorter than 6 inches from the ground.
If it was planted too deep into the ground it will grow new shoots or branches low from the ground.
Maybe you shouldn't cut it so low to the ground.

Non-grafted plant, that is, growing on its own roots and seeming to make a recovery should not be disturbed. It is recovering, even if some of the sprouts are happening away from the original stems.

A grafted plant that you think is planted too deep or if you think the top part has died or been pruned off I think I would try to replant it, and take this opportunity to see if you can find the graft. In such a cold climate I think the graft is planted a lot lower than here in zone 9, so I cannot advise you exactly how to handle this. But if it is a grafted plant, and you think you have lost the top, then replanting cannot hurt anything. a) You find the graft so you can figure out how deep to plant it OR b) You find out that the top really is dead, so you can throw it away.

What kind of rose do you think? Tea roses bloom once on old wood. Floribundas bloom on new wood so can be cut back severely.

I cut my Floribundas back early this Spring before growth to 1" above ground. All 6 are blooming their fool heads off now. Ofcourse some rotted horse manure helped also.

These are growing on their own roots. No grafting.

If you have a grafted rose, do not allow any branches to grow from the root or graft. it will take over and you will loose the original. I did that to a Peace rose when I lived in Massachusetts. It was grafted on to a hardier stock.

Never prune roses in the fall especially in the North. it will encourage more growth which will not be mature enough to survive winter.

I wish I could answer the question of grafting. I don't know much about it. What I can tell you is that it came from a yard next door to my in-laws (we transplanted a few sections off the main plant). The original plant has been there for many, many years. I want to say 50. Do roses live that long? It's a really old neighborhood and the plant has been there the whole time. I doubt it was grafted.